


Underrated

by bioticsandheadshots



Series: Fictober: 2018 [6]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon, Snark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 16:34:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16223021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bioticsandheadshots/pseuds/bioticsandheadshots
Summary: At ICT, Shepard puts questions about her competency to rest.





	Underrated

**Author's Note:**

> For the Fictober prompt "I heard enough, this ends now."

Damp, sticky heat already clings to Shepard’s skin, the weight of the humidity settling over her shoulders as she steps out into the training yard at ICT. Despite the heat, she clutches a cup of mediocre coffee in one hand as she traipses across the grass toward the sniper range. For the first time since arriving, she feels at ease. The near constant curl and twist of anxiety in the pit of her stomach has dissipated. Of course, it will be back tomorrow when the focus of their training shifts but, for today, she’s got this.

Voices drift to her as she approaches the firing line. Two other candidates are there early, sharing a cigarette and gossiping.

“You really think she’s as good as they say?”

The second candidate scoffs. “Nah, they’re just up her ass because she survived Akuze. Thinks that makes her hot shit or something, as if surviving is special.”

Shepard pauses, crossing her arms over her chest as she realizes they’re talking about her.

“Yeah,” the first laughs. “Hot ass, maybe, but I bet she’s no better than any of the rest of us.”

“She’ll wash out, I’d bet…what?” he snaps.

The first candidate is tapping the arm of the other, wide blue eyes fixed on Shepard a couple yards behind them. She’s not sure when he first noticed her but she smirks at his embarrassment.

Still watching, he leans closer to his friend and drops his voice. “How much do you think she heard?”

“Enough,” she answers, finishing the last of her coffee before tossing the paper cup in the trash. “This ends now.”

As she stalks toward them, the first candidate shrinks a little in his seat but she passes by and grabs one of the sniper rifles. She drops to one knee, sighting down the barrel and takes a deep breath before she pulls the trigger. Everything falls away: the oppressive heat, the audience behind her, they all fade to nothing as she adjusts and fires again. Each shot is measured, each pull of the trigger carefully balanced and timed to hit her mark without overheating the rifle until she’s done.

Pushing herself to her feet, she drops the rifle back on the table and notices that the audience behind her had grown as the rest of the candidates arrived for their exercise. Two instructors stand apart, both watching with impassive faces. Shit, she thinks. She’s not gonna hear the end of this later. It’s not exactly permitted to just grab weapons and go to town without proper protocols and authorization.

“Not bad, but even from here, I can see that you didn’t drill down the center.” With a smug grin on his face, the second candidate stares down range at the target.

She raises an eyebrow. “You so sure?”

His grin falters, replaced with a scowl and he grabs a rifle of his own to look down its scope.

Sure enough, the small center ring is still intact. He shakes his head, snorting at her false confidence, before something catches his attention. Each hole in the target is spaced evenly apart and when he pulls his focus back, his jaw drops. The pattern coalesces into two letters: F U. When he jerks his face from the scope to turn and stare, Shepard winks and then turns away, effectively dismissing him.


End file.
